RP & BP Fallon - Drake Hotel 1973

[admin]

The little old lady & Gyl Owen-Corrigan & Robert Plant & BP Fallon in the lobby of The Drake Hotel New York July 24th 1973

by & © Bob Gruen

To mark the triumphant remastered re-release of Led Zeppelin’s first three albums with added tracks – Led Zeppelin I, II and III are in the British Top 10 – we present this unseen photograph by Bob Gruen taken in the lobby of The Drake Hotel in New York. BP Fallon takes up the story:

“I was at Bob Gruen’s incredible ‘Rock Seen’ photo exhibition in New York this April and as part of his exhibition Bob was displaying blown-up contact sheets from which the photographs came. There was the contact sheet that had Bob’s famous shot of Zeppelin standing by their airplane ‘Starship’ and as I looked at this dark little image on the contact sheet I said ‘Look, there’s me!’

“It was Led Zeppelin on tour in 1973 and we were gathered in the lobby of The Drake Hotel in New York waiting for the limos to take us to the plane to fly us to Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh. And this rich old dear who lived at The Drake was berating Robert and grabbing his hair – ‘Why d’you have to have your hair long like that? Why can’t you look like a real man?’ Robert was very sweet to her, all peace and love”.

Commented Bob Gruen to BP nearly 41 years later: “You have a pretty good memory to remember what she was saying.”

So for your added delectation we’re showing Zeppelin’s ‘Traveling Riverside Blues’ video which flashes on this Drake lobby scene – plus some freezeframes from the video that capture this Old Money New York Lady Vs Led Zeppelin scenario.

And yes, The Drake Hotel is where over $200,000 of Led Zeppelin’s money went missing a few days later – but that’s another story.

Led Zeppelin – Traveling Riverside Blues freezeframes

Led Zeppelin – Traveling Riverside Blues (Official Video)

Led Zeppelin – Traveling Riverside Blues freezeframe

Jimmy Page & BP Fallon on Led Zeppelin’s plane Starship
by & © Bob Gruen

http://www.bpfallon.com/2014/06/led-zeppelin-never-seen-before/

[JTM]

For those that might not know BP was usually pronounced as Beep not as you might think B P.

[Walter]

Great pictures and story! Thanks for posting them!!

[aen27]

Thank you for this and I love the top picture.

[Deborah J]

^ Awesome...had to smile at that little old lady and her comments about Robert's hair and how he handled it:-) Thanks to Bob Gruen for sharing!

[LivingLovingHeartbreaker]

Nice to finally know the story behind this, I was thinking she liked his hair all this time. Lol!

[kingzoso]

Nice!!!

From what I have read over the years, Beep was a legendary "Imp", second only to Mr. Page (at the time).

He once tried to commit suicide by taking a shitload of pills and lying down in his bed waiting to die, but mistakenly took a shitload of laxatives. So instead of dying, He ran to the toilet and took a massive (well you know what I mean).

Edited June 12, 2014 by kingzoso

[WLL4LZ]

That footage where the little old lady picks up Robert's hair has always cracked me up. Always thought Robert's expression as she turns away was priceless! Thanks for filling in the story behind it.

[Sathington Willoughby]

Nice!!!

From what I have read over the years, Beep was a legendary "Imp", second only to Mr. Page (at the time).

He once tried to commit suicide by taking a shitload of pills and lying down in his bed waiting to die, but mistakenly took a shitload of laxatives. So instead of dying, He ran to the toilet and took a massive (well you know what I mean).